Cloud computing and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) environments have become increasingly popular among organizations of all sizes. However, this also means that these platforms have become a prime target for cybercriminals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in the external attack surface of an organization. Organizations must incorporate discovery, assessment, reporting, and monitoring of their Cloud and SaaS environments as part of their External Attack Surface Management (EASM) strategy. Let's take a closer look at the various components of this strategy and how they relate to Cloud and SaaS security.

Asset Inventory

The first step in managing your external attack surface is to know what assets you have in your environment. Logging your inventory of assets includes all hardware, software, and data repositories. Keeping track of all the assets spread across multiple platforms can be challenging with Cloud and SaaS environments. Therefore, maintaining an up-to-date inventory of all assets and locations to ensure no vulnerabilities are left unchecked is essential.

Data Leakage Detection

One of the most significant risks associated with Cloud and SaaS environments is the potential for data leakage. This risk becomes an actionable threat when sensitive data is stored in an open cloud bucket and unknowingly exposed to unauthorized personnel. It's crucial to detect and address any instances of data leakage immediately to prevent a breach from occurring.

Due Diligence

When using Cloud and SaaS environments, conducting proper due diligence is vital to ensure that third-party vendors are secure and trustworthy. This due diligence action includes assessing the vendor's security policies, procedures, and certifications. Understanding the vendor's security controls and how they will protect your data is also essential. Proper due diligence can help mitigate the risk of a data breach caused by lax security from a third-party vendor. 

Cloud and Security Governance

Cloud and SaaS environments can introduce new security risks not present in traditional on-premises environments. Therefore, it's essential to establish clear policies and procedures for using these platforms. This declaration of policies and procedures includes defining roles and responsibilities, establishing access controls, and implementing security best practices. By implementing a comprehensive cloud and security governance framework, organizations can reduce the risk of a security breach caused by misconfigurations in their Cloud or SaaS environments.

Subsidiary Security Monitoring

Many organizations have subsidiaries or other third-party entities that operate on their behalf. It's essential to monitor the security of these entities to ensure that they are not introducing new security risks to your organization. This monitoring should include assessing these parties’ use of Cloud and SaaS resources and ensuring they follow your organization's security policies and procedures.

Conclusion

Cloud and SaaS discovery, assessment, reporting, and monitoring are crucial for effective External Attack Surface Management. By maintaining an accurate asset inventory, detecting and addressing data leakage, conducting proper due diligence, establishing cloud and security governance, and monitoring third-party entities, you can reduce the risk of a security breach caused by vulnerabilities in your Cloud and SaaS environments. As organizations continue to rely on Cloud and SaaS environments, prioritizing their security to protect sensitive data and maintain business continuity is more important than ever.

Are you concerned about the security of your organization's external attack surface? If so, consider ThreatNG Security's External Attack Surface Management (EASM) solution. With a focus on incorporating Cloud and SaaS environments without using agents, connectors, APIs, or any prior knowledge, ThreatNG's EASM solution takes a unique approach to external attack surface management.

By approaching security like an adversary would from the outside, ThreatNG's EASM solution offers a comprehensive evaluation of your organization's security posture. It's time to take the first step in securing your organization's digital assets. Head to ThreatNG's website today to learn more about its EASM solution and how it can help protect your organization. With ThreatNG's innovative approach to security, you can rest assured that your organization's external attack surface is in good hands.

https://www.threatngsecurity.com/external-attack-surface-management